Foam from low cost petroleum sulfonate surfactants for fracturing along with wettability alteration

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure provide compositions and methods suitable for injection of a nanosurfactant-based foam composition into a hydrocarbon-bearing formation for hydraulic fracturing operations. The nanosurfactant-based foam composition includes a gaseous component and nanoassemblies that contain a petroleum sulfonate surfactant, mineral oil, and a zwitterionic co-surfactant.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for hydraulic fracturing of a hydrocarbon-bearing formation, the method comprising the steps of:
 preparing a nanosurfactant composition, the nanosurfactant composition formed by the steps of:
 combining a sulfonate surfactant, an oil, and fresh water to form a first mixture; 
 combining a zwitterionic co-surfactant and the fresh water to form a second mixture; 
 combining the first mixture and the second mixture to form a third mixture; and 
 combining the third mixture and saline water to form the nanosurfactant composition, the saline water comprising divalent cations, the nanosurfactant composition comprising a nanoassembly, 
 wherein the nanoassembly has a hydrophobic interior and a hydrophilic exterior, the hydrophobic interior comprising the sulfonate surfactant, a hydrophobic portion of the zwitterionic co-surfactant, and the oil, the hydrophilic exterior comprising a hydrophilic portion of the zwitterionic co-surfactant, 
 wherein the hydrophilic portion of the zwitterionic co-surfactant stabilizes the nanoassembly by interacting with the divalent cations present in the saline water, 
 wherein the oil facilitates containment of the sulfonate surfactant in the hydrophobic interior of the nanoassembly, 
 wherein the quantity of the sulfonate surfactant in the nanosurfactant composition ranges between 0.1 wt % and 0.25 wt %, 
 wherein the quantity of the oil in the nanosurfactant composition ranges between 0.002 wt % and 0.02 wt %; 
 
 introducing the nanosurfactant composition and a gaseous component into the hydrocarbon-bearing formation such that a nanosurfactant-based foam is generated, wherein the nanosurfactant-based foam generates a fracture in the hydrocarbon-bearing formation; and 
 introducing a proppant into the fracture to prevent the fracture from closing. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nanoassembly has a diameter ranging between 10 nm and 100 nm. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sulfonate surfactant is petroleum sulfonate. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the petroleum sulfonate includes one selected from the group consisting of: an alkyl sulfonate, an alkyl aryl sulfonate, and combinations of the same. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the zwitterionic co-surfactant is selected from the group consisting of: a sulfobetaine, a carboxybetaine, and combinations of the same. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the zwitterionic co-surfactant is cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the zwitterionic co-surfactant is lauryl betaine. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nanosurfactant composition has a zwitterionic co-surfactant content ranging between 0.01 wt. % and 0.25 wt. %. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oil is mineral oil. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gaseous component is selected from the group consisting of: nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and combinations of the same. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fresh water has a total dissolved solids concentration less than 3,000 ppm. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the saline water has a total dissolved solids concentration greater than 10,000 ppm. 
     
     
       13. A fracturing fluid for hydraulic fracturing of a hydrocarbon-bearing formation, the fracturing fluid comprising:
 a nanosurfactant-based foam, the nanosurfactant-based foam comprising:
 a gaseous component; and 
 a nanosurfactant composition, the nanosurfactant composition comprising:
 a nanoassembly, the nanoassembly comprising:
 a hydrophobic interior, the hydrophobic interior comprising: 
  petroleum sulfonate; 
  a hydrophobic portion of a zwitterionic co-surfactant; and 
  mineral oil; and 
 a hydrophilic exterior, the hydrophilic exterior comprising a hydrophilic portion of the zwitterionic co-surfactant; and 
 
 an aqueous environment, the aqueous environment comprising divalent cations, 
 wherein the hydrophilic portion of the zwitterionic co-surfactant is configured to stabilize the nanoassembly by interacting with the divalent cations present in the aqueous environment, 
 wherein the mineral oil is configured to facilitate containment of the petroleum sulfonate in the hydrophobic interior of the nanoassembly, 
 wherein the quantity of the petroleum sulfonate in the nanosurfactant composition ranges between 0.1 wt % and 0.25 wt %, 
 wherein the quantity of the mineral oil in the nanosurfactant composition ranges between 0.002 wt % and 0.02 wt %, 
 
 
 wherein the nanosurfactant-based foam is configured to generate a fracture in the hydrocarbon-bearing formation. 
 
     
     
       14. The fracturing fluid of  claim 13 , wherein the nanoassembly has a diameter ranging between 10 nm and 100 nm. 
     
     
       15. The fracturing fluid of  claim 13 , wherein the zwitterionic co-surfactant is selected from the group consisting of: a sulfobetaine, a carboxybetaine, and combinations of the same. 
     
     
       16. The fracturing fluid of  claim 13 , wherein the zwitterionic co-surfactant is cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine. 
     
     
       17. The fracturing fluid of  claim 13 , wherein the zwitterionic co-surfactant is lauryl betaine. 
     
     
       18. The fracturing fluid of  claim 13 , wherein the gaseous component is selected from the group consisting of: nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and combinations of the same. 
     
     
       19. The fracturing fluid of  claim 13 , further comprising a proppant.